On this week's podcast we take a look at our favorite games from the past.

This week we’re dedicating our show to retro gaming. As we discuss the games of our youth, we discover that we’re still in love with many of those early games. Gaming editor Kyle Orland joins Senior Apple Editor Jacqui Cheng, Open Source Editor Ryan Paul, Social Editor Cesar Torres, and Ars Contributor Casey Johnston.

We reminisce about consoles we had in our homes when we were young (Jacqui was only allowed to have one console at a time), the games we played at arcades, and what systems we took to our dorm rooms in college. Some of the classic games we dissect include Ocarina of Time, Castlevania, Pokemon, the Final Fantasy series, and more. Are any Ars Technica staffers still playing these retro games today? We’ll also learn how Kyle’s experience in computer science led to his interest in writing about video games.

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Anything up to the end of the Dreamcast era is what I would consider 'retro' at this point. But that's the era I most identify with, too! And not only consoles, but I wasn't as big into PC gaming back then, either.

Though I do still love me some Ocarina of Time, especially the Master Quest version. Even Majora's Mask wasn't quite up to the level of Ocarina, and it was almost entirely downhill from there, in the series, for me.

And Sonic the Hedgehog...Well, I don't even want to talk about it. As a series, it's been variable, but each individual game before the DC was solid as far as I was concerned.

Never did get hardcore into RPGs, but I played through the first disc of FF7 and ended there.....Also go to the end of the first disc of FF8 and ended there.....Though later I did finish Grandia II on the DC, Panzer Dragoon Saga on the Saturn, Fallout 3 on the 360......And I believe I got to the end of both Phantasy Star II and Phantasy Star IV a long long time ago.

I must admit, though I never played GoldenEye 007 on the 64, but I did play the hell (LULZ) outta Doom shareware and Doom II back in the day.....I also never played Half-Life until well after they cancelled the (nearly complete) Dreamcast port.....

Man, talking about gaming makes me instantly nostalgic and jaded simultaneously....And mostly sad that it's become a cash cow for the more casual player. I must admit, more gamers are better, but when 90%+ are casual and just pick up the 'new thing' all the time....it worries me.

Anything up to the end of the Dreamcast era is what I would consider 'retro' at this point. But that's the era I most identify with, too! And not only consoles, but I wasn't as big into PC gaming back then, either.

Though I do still love me some Ocarina of Time, especially the Master Quest version. Even Majora's Mask wasn't quite up to the level of Ocarina, and it was almost entirely downhill from there, in the series, for me.

And Sonic the Hedgehog...Well, I don't even want to talk about it. As a series, it's been variable, but each individual game before the DC was solid as far as I was concerned.

Never did get hardcore into RPGs, but I played through the first disc of FF7 and ended there.....Also go to the end of the first disc of FF8 and ended there.....Though later I did finish Grandia II on the DC, Panzer Dragoon Saga on the Saturn, Fallout 3 on the 360......And I believe I got to the end of both Phantasy Star II and Phantasy Star IV a long long time ago.

I must admit, though I never played GoldenEye 007 on the 64, but I did play the hell (LULZ) outta Doom shareware and Doom II back in the day.....I also never played Half-Life until well after they cancelled the (nearly complete) Dreamcast port.....

Man, talking about gaming makes me instantly nostalgic and jaded simultaneously....And mostly sad that it's become a cash cow for the more casual player. I must admit, more gamers are better, but when 90%+ are casual and just pick up the 'new thing' all the time....it worries me.

Are we "in love with many of those early games" or are we just in love with the thought of those early games and the times that came with them? Many times I've gone back to relive the joy of some early game only to find out it's not as fun as I thought it was. I end up ruining the memory of the game instead of cherishing it.

Now there are exceptions to this rule, but many times there are not. I've been dying for years to play Mail Order Monsters again, reminiscing on the days of my youth building the perfect beast and fighting my brother, yet never really learning how to play. I've refused to allow myself because I know it will end up in the same line as Gauntlet, failed in my memory.

Now, some more recent games still hold up relatively well; I just spent two days playing Prince of Persia 2 a few weeks ago. It was rather refreshing, if infuriating to find out I still fall to the same traps. Another place where I fall to this 'love of the idea' is when it comes to reminiscing about BBSing or MUDding... I end up for days scouring the web for a decent game or board only to disappoint myself.

Back to the original premise, I think the 'retro' personality of our generation is great in many ways, sometimes bringing back ideals/values/objects that were lost in the intervening years or replaced with 'new' concepts yet were valid or even better approaches than the current ones. Unfortunately many video games can't be brought back, thought it is fun to dream about them.

What's the criteria for it to be "retro"? Is that tracked by age? Console generations? And are you only really considered retro if you play the game on the original system?

Personally, I consider everything up to the end of the DC (so mid-2001) as 'retro'....I am not sure why, but that's me.

I can only dread how this is going to turn out when the <20 kids get a hold of this......

Though, with the advent of applications like DOSBox older games gain new life on modern systems. Which is awesome. Period.

You mean like - "Halo iz the bestest!"

I'm currently playing Psyconaughts (thanks Humble Bundle!) but I don't think that's retro. I might have to break out Link to the Past again soon though. I tend to play that once every few years. And I haven't played Octarina of Time in ages...

I have to say, I've ever put as much time into a game as I did the Ultima 7 part 1 and 2 games.... some of ht ebest RPGs you can get. (Can play them these days using DosBOX)Also, I'm not a huge MMO guy but the original Ultima Online, up until the 3rd expansion, was probably one of the best games I've ever played in general. There are fan servers now that let you play the game as it was back in the 1998-2002 era and lots of them are still pretty populated so it's not over yet!

I'm currently playing Psyconaughts (thanks Humble Bundle!) but I don't think that's retro. I might have to break out Link to the Past again soon though. I tend to play that once every few years. And I haven't played Octarina of Time in ages...

While I do not agree that Halo is 'the bestezt evar!', I don't think it's particularly bad.....Though it does seem to have aged a bit.

Psychonauts isn't retro to me either.

Although I do agree that Link to the Past and Ocarina of Time are almost bi-yearly (every 2 years) play-throughs for me. Gives me enough time to forget all the secrets and wonderful stuff to rediscover!

Honestly, my introduction to console gaming was a Sega Genesis 2 with the Sonic 2 pack-in....And that's when it all began.....

And a suggestion for the podcast. It sounds like you are all on different microphone/sound booth/whatever setups, I think this should be fixed. Some people are MUCH LOUDER, and then a lower-decibel participant comes in, then back to MUCH LOUDER.....I dunno if it's a level issue, or this is all done live or what.

Hate to harp on this again, but the sound quality on these podcasts is getting worse...

Cesar sounds like he's in a submarine, Jacqui is so crackly no matter how loud I set the volume it sounds horrible, and all people involved have different volume levels, so it's impossible to hear everyone well without bursting an ear drum. I have a strong urge to stop listening because of the noise, and this has been true of every episode so far :-/

I'm currently playing Psyconaughts (thanks Humble Bundle!) but I don't think that's retro. I might have to break out Link to the Past again soon though. I tend to play that once every few years. And I haven't played Octarina of Time in ages...

While I do not agree that Halo is 'the bestezt evar!', I don't think it's particularly bad.....Though it does seem to have aged a bit.

Psychonauts isn't retro to me either.

Although I do agree that Link to the Past and Ocarina of Time are almost bi-yearly (every 2 years) play-throughs for me. Gives me enough time to forget all the secrets and wonderful stuff to rediscover!

EDIT: Also, I would love a tracklist for the music in the podcast.

Sorry - I was referencing the <20 crowd thinking the original xbox is "retro"... I enjoyed the original Halo as well.

And on Zelda, this reminds me that I should have that Gamecube anniversary Zelda disc somewhere, and I think that should still play in the Wii. Looks like I have my weekend planned!

I have to say, I've ever put as much time into a game as I did the Ultima 7 part 1 and 2 games.... some of ht ebest RPGs you can get. (Can play them these days using DosBOX)Also, I'm not a huge MMO guy but the original Ultima Online, up until the 3rd expansion, was probably one of the best games I've ever played in general. There are fan servers now that let you play the game as it was back in the 1998-2002 era and lots of them are still pretty populated so it's not over yet!

Ahh, we never got enough time on the episode to mention the Ultima series! Great games.

If it's rendered in 3D it's hard for me to see it as retro. With maybe a few exceptions, like S.T.U.N. Runner. That's just how I draw the line though.

So is Star Fox not retro but merely a "classic," then?

I think anything that was 3D ahead of its time works for me actually, as a general rule. So I'd allow Starfox. But once you hit the "3D systems" it just doesn't feel retro anymore. I imagine this is partially a function of age, and when your gaming career started. But it's also about pixels instead of polygons too.

I have a question. So, are these setup as video conferences for the Ars staff, but you (collective 'you') record the audio for the podcast? Also, any chances/plans for guest Ars readers on the podcast?

Ah, finally got to it. I think the Water Temple is the most horrible thing in all of Ocarina of Time. It's the only thing that I didn't like from the entire game. Seems it's a necessary evil, plus it was the first 3D Zelda, so I guess it was 'growing pains' type of thing?

And whoever that lower-volume guy is; just find a guide and play through Majora's Mask. It's really awesome towards the 'end' of the game.....

Ah, finally got to it. I think the Water Temple is the most horrible thing in all of Ocarina of Time. It's the only thing that I didn't like from the entire game. Seems it's a necessary evil, plus it was the first 3D Zelda, so I guess it was 'growing pains' type of thing?

And whoever that lower-volume guy is; just find a guide and play through Majora's Mask. It's really awesome towards the 'end' of the game.....

I never finished Majora's Mask - guess I'll have to give it another go...

I never finished Majora's Mask - guess I'll have to give it another go...

You drop everything right now and play it. I condone the use of GameFAQs and the like for that game, but you need to play it through at least once in your life.

I agree with Skies of Arcadia, though I never did finish it, unfortunately. I think I was Level 46 across the characters, and I was getting my ass handed to me in a couple turns with, I believe, the final boss character....I just gave up after a couple months of trying to do more grinding. There wasn't much in the way of worthwhile monsters in random battles at that point in the game

Oh Pokemon....I had the Red version, and also kept playing through the Elite 4 for fun. But after the Gold/Silver, I just gave up.

I like Majora's Mask more than OoT. The latter hasn't aged very well (I have the Gamecube collector's disk version), but MM has enough interesting subplots, choices, sidequests, emotional subtext, and well-developed NPCs that it's just much more fun to play through.

Maybe it's the rose-coloured glasses of nostalgia, but it seems like I remember the Dreamcast having a much higher wheat-to-chaff ratio than current gen consoles. I mean, sure, there were a few games back then that didn't scratch my itch but most of them would've been must-buys if I wasn't reliant on my parents to facilitate my gaming habit. I still have my Dreamcast, sadly the only games that remain are Powerstone, Soul Calibur, and Crazy Taxi. . .

Maybe it's the rose-coloured glasses of nostalgia, but it seems like I remember the Dreamcast having a much higher wheat-to-chaff ratio than current gen consoles. I mean, sure, there were a few games back then that didn't scratch my itch but most of them would've been must-buys if I wasn't reliant on my parents to facilitate my gaming habit. I still have my Dreamcast, sadly the only games that remain are Powerstone, Soul Calibur, and Crazy Taxi. . .

If it's rendered in 3D it's hard for me to see it as retro. With maybe a few exceptions, like S.T.U.N. Runner. That's just how I draw the line though.

So is Star Fox not retro but merely a "classic," then?

I think anything that was 3D ahead of its time works for me actually, as a general rule. So I'd allow Starfox. But once you hit the "3D systems" it just doesn't feel retro anymore. I imagine this is partially a function of age, and when your gaming career started. But it's also about pixels instead of polygons too.

have to agree -- pre-PSX/Deamcast is retro to me as well.

Also, Hard Drivin' is another 3D retro.

Kids these days with their FaceTube and iTelephones -- get off my lawn.

Nintendo needs to get Earthbound on the Wii, so all of you can play it for the first time. It's one of the best experiences I've ever had on a game from start to finish, aside from the grand master of series, The Legend of Zelda. But earthbound is In a different category. It's cute, it's quirky, and yet very trippy and psychedelic.

SNES FFIII (Japan FFVI) is also one of my ultimate games to play, and I'm so greatful that is on the Wii virtual console.

I never finished Majora's Mask - guess I'll have to give it another go...

You drop everything right now and play it. I condone the use of GameFAQs and the like for that game, but you need to play it through at least once in your life.

I agree with Skies of Arcadia, though I never did finish it, unfortunately. I think I was Level 46 across the characters, and I was getting my ass handed to me in a couple turns with, I believe, the final boss character....I just gave up after a couple months of trying to do more grinding. There wasn't much in the way of worthwhile monsters in random battles at that point in the game

Oh Pokemon....I had the Red version, and also kept playing through the Elite 4 for fun. But after the Gold/Silver, I just gave up.

Ok, after work... From what I remember, a guide would make things a lot more enjoyable.

I could never get that far into Pokemon for some reason. I played one for a bit, but just didn't enjoy it enough to keep at it.

Oh, the other game that I play on a semi-regular basis is Earthbound. Not sure why, but that one's always stuck with me. I can still picture scenes from it.

Nintendo needs to get Earthbound on the Wii, so all of you can play it for the first time. It's one of the best experiences I've ever had on a game from start to finish, aside from the grand master of series, The Legend of Zelda. But earthbound is In a different category. It's cute, it's quirky, and yet very trippy and psychedelic.

SNES FFIII (Japan FFVI) is also one of my ultimate games to play, and I'm so greatful that is on the Wii virtual console.

Wow - you Ninja'd me on this one. But I second the push for Earthbound. I did think it was cool that they pulled some of the characters for it into one of the Smash Bros.

Ok, after work... From what I remember, a guide would make things a lot more enjoyable.

I could never get that far into Pokemon for some reason. I played one for a bit, but just didn't enjoy it enough to keep at it.

Oh, the other game that I play on a semi-regular basis is Earthbound. Not sure why, but that one's always stuck with me. I can still picture scenes from it.

I never played Earthbound, though I love what has been put up on OC Remix.

And yeah, Majora's Mask is a tad tedious and difficult to complete without some kind of guide. First time through I had only the most essential masks plus, I think 5.....and I never used those extra masks.

Then a year or so later (mostly Dreamcast-mania!) I found that I had bought a guide for it, but never used it....Much more complete play-through, even though the game was still as difficult. But a good difficult with the guide. Without it was nearly nightmarish, panic-attack inducing at times.....

Nintendo needs to get Earthbound on the Wii, so all of you can play it for the first time. It's one of the best experiences I've ever had on a game from start to finish, aside from the grand master of series, The Legend of Zelda. But earthbound is In a different category. It's cute, it's quirky, and yet very trippy and psychedelic.

SNES FFIII (Japan FFVI) is also one of my ultimate games to play, and I'm so greatful that is on the Wii virtual console.

Wow - you Ninja'd me on this one. But I second the push for Earthbound. I did think it was cool that they pulled some of the characters for it into one of the Smash Bros.

Yes, truly awesome they added the character in Smash Bros.Well it really helps that the main characters name is Nes.

But let me go back to say, that I was born in '81 my first console was the Commodore 64. That's where discovered Gauntlet and QBert. Both loaded from a real floppy disk. Yikes!

Then the Atari 2600 with so many awesome games and controllers, (the paddle.)

I seem to have a thing for the number 2s in the series like Super Mario Bros. 2 and Zelda 2 Adventures of Link. Nintendo really switched it up and They really resonate with me. No Bowser, it was Birdo and then Wart the final boss, and for Zelda, the top down outside world mixed with side scrolling towns and castles. That's where it's at. I could talk and play retro gaming all day.

Ok, after work... From what I remember, a guide would make things a lot more enjoyable.

I could never get that far into Pokemon for some reason. I played one for a bit, but just didn't enjoy it enough to keep at it.

Oh, the other game that I play on a semi-regular basis is Earthbound. Not sure why, but that one's always stuck with me. I can still picture scenes from it.

I never played Earthbound, though I love what has been put up on OC Remix.

And yeah, Majora's Mask is a tad tedious and difficult to complete without some kind of guide. First time through I had only the most essential masks plus, I think 5.....and I never used those extra masks.

Then a year or so later (mostly Dreamcast-mania!) I found that I had bought a guide for it, but never used it....Much more complete play-through, even though the game was still as difficult. But a good difficult with the guide. Without it was nearly nightmarish, panic-attack inducing at times.....

Good point - though I've also found that with some Zelda games, you really can't take a significant break... It might be part of what happened on MM - I took a break, forgot what I was supposed to do next and it was too much of a pain to get back into it. I know that's what happened on Windwaker - I got pretty far in, but took a break for a month or two and forgot what I was supposed to do next. Even reading a guide, I couldn't easily figure out where I was, so I gave up.

Cesar Torres / Cesar is the Social Editor at Ars Technica. His areas of expertise are in online communities, human-computer interaction, usability, and e-reader technology. Cesar lives in New York City.